Electric heating attachment for lunch boxes



L. WIGGINS ELECTRIC HEATING ATTACHMENT FOR LUNCH BOXES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 28, 1954 Filed Oct. 14, 1952 Leroy Wiggins JNVENTOR. BY Qua w MW,

Se t. 28, 1954 L. WIGGINS ELECTRIC HEATING ATTACHMENT FOR LUNCH BOXES Filed Oct. 14, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3

Leroy Wiggins I INVENTOR'. BY as um yaw Patented Sept. 28, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC HEATING ATTACHMENT FOR LUNCH BOXES Leroy Wiggins, Midland, Pa. Application October-14, 1952, Serial No. 314,633

(Cl. 219-l9) 2 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in lunch boxes and more particularly to an electric heating attachment carried by the box for cooking or heating food thereon.

An important object of the invention is to provide a foldable heating unit for storing in a convenient position in the box and equipped with novel swingable supporting means to hold the heating unit at the top of the box, when in use.

Another object is to provide a compartment in one end of the box for storing the electric extension cord for the heater.

A further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is efiicient and reliable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purpose for which the same is intended.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to the like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the lunch box open and with the heating unit raised in position for use.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the heating unit stored in the box.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on a line 4-4 of Figure 3 and Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on a line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates a lunch box constructed with a main compartment 6 and a hinged lid 7. A partition 8 is positioned transversely in the compartment 6 adjacent one end of the box to form a second compartment 9 at said end and said end of the box is constructed with a hinged door Hi to afford access to the compartment from the end of the box.

An electric heating unit of a conventional type is designated at H and is provided at one end with a pair of brackets or legs I2 which extend downwardly from the unit at its side edges and are formed with vertical slots [3, each having a lateral slot M at the lower end thereof. A pair of pins [5 project inwardly from the front and 2; rear walls of the box in main compartment. 6 to enter the slots l3 for swingably connecting the heating unit to the pins for raising the same from a vertical position in compartment 6, as shown in Figure 3, into a horizontal position at the top of the box, as shown in Figure 2.

In its raised position the pins l5 slide toward the lower ends of the vertical slots [3 and enter the lateral slots M to support the heating unit in its raised position and stop pins [6 also project into compartment 6 behind the legs l2 for engagement by a tongue ll extending downwardly at the rear edge of the legs to prevent the heating unit from tilting or swinging downwardly. The upper front and rear edges of partition 8 are formed with notches l8 to accommodate the legs during raising and lowering of the heating unit.

The heating unit is provided with an extension cord I9 which passes through an opening 20 in the lower portion of the partition and a cord holder 2! is attached to the partition in compartment 9 for winding the cord thereon. A switch 22 for the cord is also attached to the partition in compartment 9.

In the operation of the device, the heating unit H is suspended in a lowered vertical position by the legs I 2 on pins 15 in compartment 6 adjacent partition 8 and the lid 1 may then be closed for carrying the box in the usual manner. The food in compartment 6 may be warmed when the heating unit is in its lowered position by opening door I 0 and plugging in the extension cord I9 to a house circuit.

When it is desired to heat or cook food on top of the heating unit, the lid 1 is opened and the heating unit raised on pins l5 into a horizontal position and the pins locked in the lateral slots I4 by engaging the tongues l! at the lower ends of the legs with the stop pins l6.

From the foregoing, the construction and op eration of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In a heating attachment for a lunch box, an electric heating unit, a pair of legs rigidly carried by and extending downwardly from the unit at one end of the latter and having vertical slots therein, a pair of pins on a pair of opposed walls of the box and slidably engaged in said slots and pivotally supporting the unit in a perpendicular position internally or the box, said unit being swingable vertically on said pins from a perpendicular position into and out of a horizontal position at the top of the box, lateral slots leading from the lower portion of said vertical slots and adapted to receive said pins, and stop means carried by the box and engageable by the legs to lock the pins in said lateral slots and to hold the unit in a raised horizontal position.

2. In a lunch box, a vertical transverse partition in the box and forming a main compartment and a secondary compartment therein, an electric heating unit, a pair of legs rigidly carried by and extending downwardly from the unit at one end of the latter, means internally of the main compartment pivotally engaging the legs to support the unit in a vertically swingable perpendicular position therein, means carried by the box lockably engaging the legs to hold the unit in a raised horizontal position at the top of the box, a switch for the unit internally of the secondary compartment and a door at one end of the box affording access to said secondary compartment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,003,714 Johnson June 4, 1935 2,274,285 Walker Feb. 24, 1942 2,295,221 King Sept. 8, 1942 2,458,837 Dougherty Jan. 11, 1949 2,478,529 Farr et a1 Aug. 9, 1949 2,512,712 Brody June 27, 1950 2,513,218 Tornispeed June 27, 1950 2,577,870 Aston Dec. 11, 1951 2,601,546 Miller June 24, 1952 2,611,851 Lott Sept. 23, 1952 

